IMPORTANCE OF PEASANTRY IN INDIA

Relevant for Sociology Paper-II: Social Structure – Rural and Agrarian Social Structure

Gandhiji was the architect of rural India. His dream was to give auton­omy to our villages. Long back, in 1909, he wrote a letter to the British government in which he advocated his pet theory of Hind Swaraj. He suggested that India must do away with hospitals, railways, etc., and stick to plough. He argued that plough bas given a peaceful life. If our villages prosper, the country would also prosper. It is also said that when the first draft of India’s Constitution was referred to him, be tore it off that it did not contain anything about Gramraj or Panchayati Raj. It was on his insistence that an elaborate provision for Panchayati Raj was made in the Directive Principles of State Policy.

Why in India, as elsewhere also, land is something which is the property of the community. It should be used by all during the 18th century, the US President asked American tribal chiefs to sale their and to the government. One of the tribal chiefs immediately reported “How anyone could purchase or sale land. Sky and earth cannot be transacted. They are the warmth of the people.” Land, therefore, and for that matter agriculture which feeds people, occupies a prime place in all our priorities.

Some aspects of our agriculture which show its importance:

• Agriculture determines mode of life: Surely, agriculture is the source of generating income; it also feeds people. But, above all, it is the agriculture which decides the mode of our life. The lifestyle of a community is the result of our agricultural produce and agricultural calendar. In fact, our cultural life in terms of celebration of festivals and rituals is determined by agriculture. What we wear, what we eat and in fact how do we pass our life is decided by agriculture.
• Source of national income: It is roughly estimated that a little less than our national income is derived from agriculture. During periods of history the kingship has survived out of the revenue drawn· from agriculture. Several battles were fought, lost and won, but no ruler ever tried to disturb agriculture. It was known that if agriculture is disturbed, the royal treasure would receive nothing . It, therefore, goes very well with the state governments that revenue of agriculture is the major source of income.
• Strength of power: Agriculture is also a source of power. Those who hold larger portions of land, yield greater power. One of the characteristics of dominant caste is the size of landholding. The group of peasants, which has larger portions of land, rules the village. In any consideration land gives power to the peasant. Agricultural labourers are looked down in the village hierarchy.
• Status drawn from agriculture: Yet another importance of agri­culture, which is both social and cultural, is that it gives status to the tiller. Marriages, betrothals, loaning are, all determined on the posses­sion or non-possession of land. One who does not own any portion of land is the poor, the wretched of the earth. Admittedly, land only gives income but also bestows status to a person.
• Rural stratification and landholding: The importance of agricul­ture also lies in the fact that it ascertains the stratification of society. Land is not divided equally. There are big farmers, small farmers and agricultural labourers in a village. These inequalities arise out of unequal distribution of land. Land is owned on heredity basis. And, therefore, the social stratification, which results from unequal possession of land, creates problems of inequality.

The contemporary Indian society is now characterised by industrialisation also. Industrial development all over the world seems to have become a dependable alternative for raising the quality of life of people. Surely, there is a talk about swadeshi movement. But, in the current situation of globalisation and liberalisation, it is difficult to go back. And, when the country attains some goals in this respect, agriculture is destined to be an important aspect of economy. Even in advanced countries such as US, agriculture has not been marginalised. Looking to this trend of transformation, agriculture for all time to come would occupy a prime place in our efforts of nation building.

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